The Last Time
February 27, 2019 at 3:22 pm 36 comments
For Friday Fictioneers 100-Word Challenge: 1 March 2019
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| Photo Credit: Jean L. Hays |
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I couldn’t believe the store was closing its doors. It had been part of our town for generations.
I remembered the night I met my friend in grade school whom I hadn’t seen him in years. When he invited me for a drink, how could I refuse?
We went to the store to get the beer. How could it be possible? I asked myself. We were minors.
My friend engaged the shopkeeper in small talk and distracted him well enough to let his buddies steal the beer. It was the last time we were together. I never saw him again.
Entry filed under: Blogroll, Daily Post, friday fictioneers. Tags: 100-word challenge, coming of age, fiction.
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Musings of a Random Mind 
1.
Dale | February 27, 2019 at 4:31 pm
Sweet memories that will remain for years to come – not that it’s okay to steal, of course.
2.
plaridel | February 27, 2019 at 10:42 pm
dale:
i guess that’s one way of looking at it. yes, being an accessory to a petty crime can leave a bad taste in your mouth even if you’re able to get away with it.
3.
rochellewisoff | February 27, 2019 at 5:19 pm
Dear Plaridel,
He sounds like the kind of friend you don’t want to keep in touch with. Good one.
Shalom,
Rochelle
4.
plaridel | February 27, 2019 at 10:42 pm
rochelle:
i totally agree.
5.
Alice Audrey | February 27, 2019 at 7:23 pm
Kind of reminds me of running into a grade school friend on the way to Jr. High, and having her show off the bourbon flavored lip gloss she’d made herself.
6.
plaridel | February 27, 2019 at 10:42 pm
alice:
awesome. 🙂
7.
Abhijit Ray | February 28, 2019 at 12:09 am
A lot memories associated with the store. Some good some not so good. Too bad it is closing down.
8.
plaridel | February 28, 2019 at 9:10 am
abhijit:
it was the end of an era for the town when the store closed.
9.
draliman | February 28, 2019 at 12:11 am
Fond memories of childhood hi-jinks/crimes 🙂
10.
plaridel | February 28, 2019 at 9:10 am
draliman:
those were the days to live and learn. 🙂
11.
Iain Kelly | February 28, 2019 at 5:21 am
Probably for the best that this was the last time they saw each other.
12.
plaridel | February 28, 2019 at 9:09 am
iain:
sometimes, it was better to move on and let go.
13.
Susan A Eames | February 28, 2019 at 6:49 am
Sounds like his old friend was a bit of a tearaway!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
14.
plaridel | February 28, 2019 at 9:08 am
susan:
it was an apt description of what he had become, indeed.
15.
granonine | February 28, 2019 at 8:43 am
I think it was probably a good thing that you never saw him again. I like the story–lots of good character conveyed in a few words.
16.
plaridel | February 28, 2019 at 9:07 am
linda:
it’s very generous of you. thanks for the nice comment. 🙂
17.
Keith's Ramblings | February 28, 2019 at 9:06 am
I admit, we did help ourselves to sweet or two as kids but never beer! We were lightweights in comparison!
My FriFic tale!
18.
plaridel | February 28, 2019 at 9:15 am
keith:
i guess it was part of growing up. still, it wasn’t something we could be proud of.
19.
Violet Lentz | March 1, 2019 at 2:42 am
That was an acceptable right of passage where I grew up. Nicely told.
20.
plaridel | March 2, 2019 at 11:11 am
violet:
i guess when somebody is at that age, he can feel entitled for the wrong reasons.
21.
Liz Young | March 1, 2019 at 3:48 am
Wonder whether the friend stole more as he got older and ended up in prison?
22.
plaridel | March 2, 2019 at 11:11 am
liz:
he probably did and went to prison.
23.
Sandra | March 2, 2019 at 7:13 am
It had to be done, I guess. Part of growing up.
24.
plaridel | March 2, 2019 at 11:10 am
sandra:
i remember those were confusing times very well.
25.
Shirley McCann | March 2, 2019 at 7:26 am
Very nicely done.
26.
plaridel | March 2, 2019 at 11:10 am
shirley:
thank you for the generous comment. much appreciated.
27.
The Writer's Village | March 2, 2019 at 7:28 pm
What a sense of integrity for such a young man.
Good for him.
28.
plaridel | March 4, 2019 at 3:53 pm
randy:
under the circumstances, it was the right thing to do.
29.
subroto | March 2, 2019 at 11:43 pm
Sometimes peer pressure can make kids do things out of their comfort zone. Seems like he was lucky to get away and steered clear since then. Nice one.
30.
plaridel | March 4, 2019 at 3:53 pm
subroto:
it was good thing for him to quit while still ahead.
31.
gahlearner | March 3, 2019 at 8:28 am
Seeing childhood places going away is always a sad thing. I wonder what happened to that friend though, his future wasn’t promising.
32.
plaridel | March 4, 2019 at 3:53 pm
gahlearner:
it was unlikely the friend changed his ways. one could only feel sorry for him.
33.
Fatima Fakier | March 5, 2019 at 2:43 am
I’d like to think that his friend found his way somehow, and ended up in a good place. It is sad when cherished landmarks and familiar places are torn down or closed down.
34.
plaridel | March 6, 2019 at 9:03 am
fatima:
it doesn’t hurt to give him the benefit of the doubt. 🙂
35.
Russell Gayer | March 5, 2019 at 5:11 am
Ah, memories of underage drinking.
I used to visit a little “Mom & Pop” store called Land’s Grocery. They would sell beer to me when I was only 17 (the legal age here is 21). They were a nice old couple and needed the liquor sales to make ends meet.
36.
plaridel | March 6, 2019 at 9:03 am
russell:
i guess it happens more often than we realize. 🙂